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Slovakia considering giving Ukraine 10 of its 11 Soviet-era MiG-29 jets

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Slovakia is considering giving Ukraine 10 of its 11 Soviet-made MiG-29 planes, Slovakian Defense Minister Jaroslav Nad told the Associated Press in an interview published on March 1.

Earlier on Feb. 11, the Slovakian newspaper SME reported that President Volodymyr Zelensky had asked Slovakia for MiG-29 fighter jets and that Slovakian Prime Minister Eduard Heger had said negotiations to provide the jets would begin.

According to Heger, these jets have been decommissioned. The eleventh jet that will not be provided to Ukraine is reserved for a museum, Nad told AP.

Earlier, Nad said that the transfer of aircraft to Ukraine could not be decided only by Slovakia but required agreement with NATO partners.

Valued at $299 million, according to Nad, MiG-29 jets have been long wanted by Ukraine to bolster its air force amid Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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